The value of plain radiography in suspected intraocular foreign body

Patients presenting to an eye casualty department with a history of exposure to high velocity particles often undergo radiological investigation to rule out clinically undetected intraocular foreign bodies (IOFB). We reviewed the indications for and the results of X-rays performed in our eye department over a five year period to determine the effectiveness of such screening. Our results suggest that most of the X-rays are performed needlessly and that radiological investigation could be restricted to those patients with clinical evidence of penetrating ocular and orbital trauma and patients with subconjunctival haemorrhage.